Our private guide for our group in Manuel Antonio was Edwin, the owner of Manuel Antonio Nature Tours. (See my full trip report here.) We met Edwin at the entrance to the park where he guided us through the security screening (no food is allowed to be brought into the park) and showed us the route we were going to take for our hike. Unfortunately for us, the main trail was closed the day we were there so we had to walk along a parallel road (the yellow line on the map below).
Despite the slightly less scenic route we had to take, Edwin did a fantastic job of spotting all manner of wildlife. From frogs and insects perched on leaves to lizards climbing branches and crabs scurrying around on the ground, he found so many creatures in the jungle along the road that we never would have seen on our own. After finding them, he set up his scope so that we could all get a closer look. His scope had an attachment for his iPhone and he took some amazing close-up photos and air dropped them to us at the end of the tour.
The first half of the tour was dominated by insects, birds, and lizards. The second half of the tour was all about the mammals – white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, and sloths. The capuchins were active and easy to spot as they raced around in the trees above us, but the howlers and sloths were sedentary and well-hidden in the trees. Again Edwin found them and set up his scope for us to see.
Overall we were slightly disappointed in our experience in Manuel Antonio but it had nothing at all to do with Edwin. Our disappointment was with the park itself – the huge crowds, the closure of the main trail, and the scarcity of “major” wildlife compared to the grounds of Tulemar. But Edwin definitely made our visit worthwhile. He was incredibly knowledgeable and adept at spotting even the tiniest critters in the thick jungle. He took his time and made sure we all got a chance to see everything and took some amazing photos in the process. He answered all our questions and shared his love and knowledge of Costa Rican wildlife. If you are going to Manuel Antonio, you should absolutely go with a guide to maximize your chances of seeing a variety of wildlife, and Edwin is without a doubt one of the best guides out there.
